Rep. Keith Self, R‑Texas, told Fox News Digital he could invoke a little‑known House maneuver to challenge whether Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) members‑elect can be sworn in next year if they win their races.
The maneuver Fox News described
Fox News Digital reported that any member‑elect can challenge another member‑elect’s right to be sworn in if they have compiled evidence the person would not uphold the oath to support and defend the Constitution. According to that report, such a challenge would trigger House‑wide deliberations followed by a vote on whether the member‑elect may be sworn in.
Self’s argument
“You cannot swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution while actively working to destroy it. The oath of office is not just words you say at a ceremony. It is a belief. It is an oath to our country and our fellow countrymen,” Self told Fox News Digital. He added, “The House has both the authority and the duty to ensure that anyone who takes that oath does so in good faith, without mental reservation or purpose of evasion.”
Platform at issue
Fox News Digital reported that one potential basis for a challenge is the DSA platform’s call to scrap the current U.S. Constitution and draft a new one. The same report noted that several DSA members and self‑described democratic socialists have already won primaries across the country.
What we don’t know yet
Self suggested he could invoke the maneuver, but no formal challenge was described in the reporting. Whether any challenge would succeed would depend on the House’s deliberations and vote as outlined by Fox News Digital.
Related: Self backs Judicial Loyalty Act
In an October 28, 2026 post on X, Self said he had co‑sponsored the Judicial Loyalty Act to “require ALL American judges to be natural‑born citizens,” calling it a safeguard to protect the Constitution. (Source: @RepKeithSelf on X.)
